Chiang Mai: Hundreds of senior foreigners line up for Sinovac/AstraZeneca vaccine regime

[webfact]

Picture: Komchadluek

 

Komchadluek reported from McCormick hospital in Muang district of Chiang Mai in the north of Thailand as hundreds of foreigners aged over 60 lined up for vaccinations on Monday.

 

The media said that the ministry of public health had opened up registration via reboot.chiangmaihealth.go.th.

 

The foreigners will be vaccinated like others in Chiang Mai - first with Sinovac and then a second dose later with AstraZeneca. 

 

Signage in English was in evidence as 270-300 foreigners arrived according to their appointments on the first day.

 

It all went smoothly and the foreigners knew the routine.

 

In total 1,400-1,500 have registered for jabs and they will be accommodated through the whole of this week in a special area to prevent overcrowding. 

 

Some arrived alone and others with Thai relatives to assist them. 

 

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[fangless]

I believe I was the last one in and was given number 142! at 1500 yesterday.  

They folded up the registration desk and switched off all the fans as I left the registration desk and all the staff there left.

 

 

 

[BritManToo]

9 minutes ago, fangless said:

I believe I was the last one in and was given number 142!

So not hundreds then.

[NancyL]

No, it wasn't.  The Facebook group, Covid International Community Support Chiang Mai, run by Ben Svasti Thomson reports 141 people.  

 

The day before he announced on this FB group that all expats over age 70 who had registered with Wall of CM should have received an SMS with their McCormick appointment.  When several wrote that they hadn't, he asked them to send him a PM and he arranged "appointments" for them.  Eventually, there were so many that he just publically wrote "can you come in today at 2 pm?", etc. 

 

They plan to give 1500 injections this week.  That would be 300 per day.  It seems they feel short yesterday.  Either some people ignored their SMS or didn't get a message at all.  

 

It's a good, well organized effort, but sad that not everyone who registered is "receiving the memo".

[Mac Mickmanus]

They have a vaccine center set up in Airport plaza , offering the Sino vac . 

   First you need to register , then get the sino vac , then have to wait there for 30 minutes to see what happens after you get jabbed , then you can go home 

[fangless]

20 minutes ago, NancyL said:

No, it wasn't.  The Facebook group, Covid International Community Support Chiang Mai, run by Ben Svasti Thomson reports 141 people. 

As you can see from my post above we are in agreement that the figure is a MAX of 142.  The missing one could be someone who checked in but did not complete the process for some reason.

 

PS;  Please not they shut up shop at 1500 so not many could have been processed between 1400-1500.

[DrPhibes]

Registered about 2 months ago on Wall of CM registration site, over 60, have a queue number but not an appt.  Checking daily, says "Your vaccine is not available now"  No SMS for appt either.

[TheFishman1]

I signup on Chiang Mai Wall  haven’t heard anything back yet TIT

[Tarteso]

1 hour ago, TheFishman1 said:

I signup on Chiang Mai Wall  haven’t heard anything back yet TIT

Me too, so I just registered today in EXPATVAC website fast and without problem… waiting for appointment. Perhaps in this site we can get Aztra, moderna o Pifzer

[Isaan sailor]

This begs the question:  if the Delta variant has become the dominant strain (over 70% in Thailand), and we know the low efficacies of SinoVac vs Delta—then why bother using it for a first shot?  Do they really think you’re going to catch last years original variant from Wuhan?

[TheFishman1]

 Yep I haven’t heard anything back yet from the Chiang Mai wall so I also registered on  EXPATVAC Hope I hear something soon Tik

[Medicine Man]

As they are only offering Sinovac with a promise of AZ in 3 weeks I will not turn up for my appointment tomorrow as this is no good for anyone who needs to travel in the future. I've now signed up for Expatvac as they are meant to be distributing the donated Pfizer vaccines. I will put money on the fact that AZ won't be available in 3 weeks in this location given the chaotic roll out here...

[flexomike]

18 hours ago, DrPhibes said:

Registered about 2 months ago on Wall of CM registration site, over 60, have a queue number but not an appt.  Checking daily, says "Your vaccine is not available now"  No SMS for appt either.

Thats because they found out you are going to Bangkok to get your vacination - 555

 

[Scouse123]

What if your first dose was AZ, will they try to give Sinovac for second dose?

 

I don't think that will be very good.

[DrPhibes]

6 hours ago, flexomike said:

Thats because they found out you are going to Bangkok to get your vacination - 555

 

Actually, I think it is because I requested AZ and they are only giving out Sinovac.

[zhounan]

16 hours ago, Isaan sailor said:

This begs the question:  if the Delta variant has become the dominant strain (over 70% in Thailand), and we know the low efficacies of SinoVac vs Delta—then why bother using it for a first shot?  Do they really think you’re going to catch last years original variant from Wuhan?

Entertainment and media system is very proficient with perceptual suggestion and the ordinary man just trust the institutions.

[b17]

As I have been unable to uncover ANY scientific research regarding the effects of mixing the Sinovac and Astra Zeneca vaccines, I am extremely hesitant to reduce myself to absolute guinea pig levels. 

 

As much as I want to receive a vaccination, I cannot assume that this is a safe combination, and also note Sinovac's poor reputation with regard to fighting off the Delta variant of the Covid virus. 

 

Initially, I thought "any vaccine is better than no vaccine", but now I am not so sure. All things being equal, I think it best to mask up, social distance, wash hands, etc and wait for a vaccine that has been tested to be both safe and effective.